NEW YORK — Democratic former congressman Anthony Weiner, who resigned in disgrace amid a sexting scandal, said on Tuesday he would come out of political retirement to thwart a potential mayoral bid by Republican Donald Trump Jr. and would beat him “like a rented mule.”
Trump, son of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, has been floated as a possible challenger to Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2017 since his well-received speech in support of his father at the Republican National Convention last week in Cleveland.
Weiner was asked about the rumored candidacy, and the former congressman playfully suggested he would end his political exile to take on the younger Trump.
“The only thing that could make me come out of retirement and run for mayor again is if anyone named Trump ran,” Weiner told Fox 5. “I would come out of retirement just to beat him like a rented mule, and then I’d turn the keys back over to de Blasio.”
The younger Trump retorted on Twitter that Weiner, who resigned his congressional seat after admitting he sent sexually explicit messages to women who weren’t his wife, should get lost. “Too soon Anthony!!!” Trump wrote. “… Go back to your cave.”
Trump, an active campaigner who also is helping to run his father’s business, has pointedly not ruled out entering politics. But the elder Trump has made clear that his son won’t be running for mayor next year.
“Donald Trump Jr. has no intention of running for mayor of New York, but I was the one who predicted that Anthony Weiner would flame out and not be able to run for mayor,” Trump said in a statement. “People were amazed at how insightful I was.”
Weiner unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2005. He resigned his congressional seat in 2011. He made another bid for mayor in 2013 and was leading several polls until it was revealed he had continued the questionable behavior after his resignation. He now works as a pundit and consultant.
